Infection Control and Standard Precautions

Antiseptic

Chemical agents that prevent or inhibit the growth of microorganism.

Asepsis

Methods used to make the patient, worker, and the environment as pathogen-free as possible.

Biohazard

Any living organism or material from a living organism that is harmful or potentially harmful if it comes into contact with a person

Body Mechanics

The way in which the body moves and maintains balance while making the most efficient use of all its parts

Communicable Disease

A disease that can be transmitted either directly or indirectly from individual to another

Contaminated

Presence of infectious material.

Disinfectant

Agents or methods that destroy most bacteria and viruses on inanimate objects

Infection Control

To prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Infectious Disease

Any disease caused by the growth of pathogens.

Isolation

Separation of a patient from other individuals to either protect the patient from being exposed to environmental irritants or pathogens or to prevent the spread of infection from the patient to others

Microorganism

A very small, usually one celled living plant or animal.

Occupational Exposure

Actual contact or anticipated contact with blood or body fluids or any OPIMs that occur during the performance of an employee duties.

Pathogen

Disease producing microorganism (germ).

PPE

Any of a number of materials or devices that are used to protect an individual from harm/hazard.

Standard Precautions

Practice used to reduce the risk of transmission of microorganisms from both recognized and unrecognized sources of infection in healthcare settings

Sterilization

Agents or methods that totally destroy all microorganisms, including viruses and spores.

Transmission Based Precaution

Recommendations that include these three types of isolation procedures (airborne, droplet, and contact precautions) required for specific infections.

Chain of Infection: What are the 6 chains?

1. Infectious agent/Pathogen (ex. bacteria)

2. Reservoir host/where pathogens live and grow (ex. soil)

3. Portal of exit/where pathogen can exit the host (ex. mouth)

4. Route of transmission/how pathogen gets around (ex. droplet)

5. Portal of Entry/pathogen enters a new host (ex. wound)

6. Susceptible host/person who is at risk to develop disease (ex. the elderly)

Chain of Infection: How do we destroy microorganisms?

Environmental cleaning/aseptic techniques (ex. disinfecting, sterilizing, and antiseptics)

Standard Precautions: Types? When to use them?

1. Environmental safety/cleaning - Use when you need to remove any hazardous matter or disinfect wounds by disinfecting, sterilizing, or using antiseptics.

2. Personal Protective Equipment - Use any time you are likely to be exposed to body fluids/splashes or any other biohazards.

3. Sharps/needles - Dispose of them in designated sharps containers.

4. Waste - Clean up immediately, disinfect, and dispose of infectious waste in biohazard bags. Report immediately.

Putting on and Taking off PPE: What do we put on first?

Gown is put on first so as to not contaminate the gloves at all.

Putting on and Taking off PPE: What do we take off first?

Gloves are taken off first to free up hands to remove any other PPE.

Standard Precautions: What are considered body fluids that are considered infectious and we need to use standard precautions?

What may not be considered?

ALL blood and bodily fluids are considered infectious. Sweat may not be considered.

Standard Precautions: What are three categories of transmission-based precautions?

1. Airborne - Spread by airborne droplets (ex. TB)

2. Droplet - Spread by droplets (ex. pneumonia)

3. Contact - Spread by skin and wounds (ex. scabies)